Bernal Diaz

There must be many times when the participants in great historical events can scarcely believe their good fortune in being present to witness the momentous events in question. Chance has its role in history; and whether Fortune or virtue plays the deciding role in human events is a question that we must leave to the philosophers. Cicero tells us (On Moral Ends V.5) that Theophrastus’s treatise On the Happy Life placed too much weight on the role of Fortune, and not enough emphasis on virtue.

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There are times in life when we need to have blind faith in forward momentum. We need cease the deliberations, the doubts, the equivocations, and the rationalizations. We should, instead, resolve to maintain a steady forward pace, trusting to our own abilities and the favorable intercession of Fortune. We may not have contingency plans for every eventuality, but we must press on with blind faith nonetheless. Momentum creates its own dynamic, and its own outcomes. It was precisely this principle that the great Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés brought to bear in the early stages of the conquest of Mexico in 1519.

I very much enjoy reading war memoirs. I think it’s because I recognize that the authors have tapped into special knowledge that the rest of us cannot access. They have seen beyond, somehow. Their experiences have stamped on them an indelible impression that neither time nor distance can erase. I will be honest: I am envious of the special knowledge they have, and which I do not have. Having been in the military is one thing, but having been in real combat is something very different. Deep down, I regret that I never was given the opportunity to experience what they experienced.